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| From | Christopher <plattc@optonline.net> |
| Subject | Re: Eric Matthews |
| Date | Wed, 7 Apr 2004 08:47:34 -0400 |
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Last I heard anything of him, he was playing with and arranging for Tahiti
80, and that's a good 5-6 years ago.
According to the Official Cyber-Center of All Things Eric Matthews
(http://www.geocities.com/ericmatthews0/home.htm), he's got a band coming
together called The Oxford File, which includes Spookey Ruben, and John
McIntire and Doug McCombs (both of Tortoise fame). This news dates from
June 2002, so anybody have any more recent info? I also see there's a Yahoo
Group dedicated to Eric, which is where I found this, from the horse's
mouth:
"An announcement is coming soon regarding the re-issue of the Cardinal
record. A huge label in England has made an offer and verbal commitment
to Richard and I that includes the option to release the CD world wide.
We are keeping our options open at this point since we own the rights
outright and are seeking to become rich for our musical efforts more than
ten years ago. We may decide to conduct business from territory to
territory and not simply hand the record over to one label.
A decision is pending, but soon.
The re-issue is going to include never before seen photos, artwork, liner
notes by Richard and I, and a bonus CD with unreleased tracks, demos, the
early EP, and one new song. The interest so far within the industry has
been amazing.
MOJO magazine (March issue) is running a feature called "the 67 lost
albums everyone should own". "The Lateness of the Hour" made the list
due to poor album sales and a sagged promotional campaign that occurred
in the UK and most of Europe. This is an honor that comes at a very good
time, creepy good. Just as this issue hit the stands Sup Pop worked a
new distribution deal with the Wal-Mart chain. Wal-Mart is now selling
highlights from the back catalog of Sub Pop's vaults. My records made
the list along with Mudhoney, Sebadoh, Nirvana, Sunny Day Real, etc.
"The figures are up!" as they say in Merry ol'...
MOJO is running a full page feature called "catching up with Eric
Matthews" in the June or July issue. I did the interview a few weeks ago
and they sent a photographer out a few days ago. The cool thing about
that is I knew the photographer from a London Times shoot nearly 8 years
ago.
Q magazine is also working on a piece about me. NME is next.
Thank god for my European camp.
Brookville is a studio band made up of Andy Chase (IVY), James Iha
(Smashing Pumpkins), and me. Our first record came out last year and did
OK but no big hits. It's a very fine record and I urge all of you to
check it out. It's called "Wonderful Nothing" and I swear, it's one of
the finest records of the last several years. Anyway, we are beginning
sessions for the second installment next month. Stay tuned.
IVY is going to hire me again to do trumpet and strings for their next
record on NETWORK records, only this time I get to sing with Dominique
(the best female pop singer on the planet). Andy is writing a song for
the two of us to duet on. That's going to be a thrill, and hopefully a
hit.
There are three books coming out this year of which I am the subject (for
a chapter or two). All three are coming out on respectable publishing
groups and will be in book stores everywhere starting in the summer of
04. One book is titled "the 100 greatest obscure pop records ever
made". A second book is called "unreleased albums, a history of great
ones". The third is called "the history of orchestrated pop music".
Major announcements will be made as each of these books become available.
...Which leads me to the topic of my solo records. No specific plans to
announce yet but I am now (once again) in talks with a very reputable
label that is showing the early signs of intense interest. You all will
be the first to know, well, at least second or third...
In a weird development, I had a Hollywood friend on the phone yesterday
and asked if I saw the "LA Daily Review" last month? My friend was
referring to a review published of the latest Foo Fighters album. In the
review the writer accused Dave G. of "trying to sounding (suspiciously) a
bit too much like "Eric Matthews". I have always liked bits and pieces
of songs I hear by Dave in his new band but always thought that he was a
dumbed down version of Jason Falkner. I know that Dave has my records on
his shelf but I never thought that there could ever be a similarity.
Anybody who knows the Foo Fighters songs is encouraged to chime in a tell
me if I should get the CD to hear the likeness. I can't imagine that the
writer knows what he is talking about.
Oh yeah, speaking of trouble makers, Paula Kelly is working on a new
record and I have been tagged to write the string bits and once again do
my trumpet appearance. She should be sending me the songs in a few
weeks.
The only other little news item is that Billy Zane (Titanic) has directed
a short film (yet to be titled) that uses an all Eric Matthews
score culled from my back catalog. The short is showing the this coming
season's short film festivals around the world.
That is enough typing.
yours,
eric"
So there you have it.
Christopher
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